The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1887-09-14
THE OUTLAWS RUSE.

sailor to digging gold ss a miner. ans
fighting Indians as a scout. and yet th'
closest escape ever had from death wa
with my eyes wide open and through N,
own stupidity. Early in the seventies
was down in Indian Territory buyinl
horses for shipment Fast. had part
ner. and we Travelled with our OVID team
in covered wagon. That territory ism
any too peaceful nov. bot in '7223 YOU
not only wanted a irasty rife with you
bat vou wanted the knack Of dropping
your man first. Travelling from ranch to
ranch az we did. with everybody know
ing we had money " buy horses with,
our situation was one requiring constant
vigilance. There neser Was night that
both Of Us slept al once. and never day
that we were not on the watch for some
plan 10 get the better Of Us. In one trip
of three months we had five different
watch dogs poisoned, and finally gave up
irving 10 keep one. You might imagine
Il would have been worth while for some
Of the predatory bands roaming over the
country TO make an open attack on US,
but the fellows reasoned differently. A
couple Of men armed with Winchesters
and revolvers, and determined to defend
tbeirown at anv cost, are antagonists MOTTO
be despised. Your Western outlaw, with
very few exceptions, is just IS careful
about getting a bullet into his body as
any one else.
One day in July, while we were on the
north fork Of the Canadian River, and
about twenty miles below shawneetown,
one Of our horses in our team was bitten
bv rattlesnake. ] was driving, and |
saw the snake as it lifted itself from the
grass ard bit the horse twice on the leg.
1t was hot day. the horses well heated
up. and the poison took effect very socn.
We had no remedy for il, but were COM
PEELED TO stand by and see the animal
suffer and die. II wasn't quite an hour
after ne was struck before he WAS dead.
In buying horses we stipulated for deliv-
cry at certain points, and thus had no
spare ones with Us. To make our team
whole one of Us must take the other
horse and ride of 10 make a purchase. |
had been over the route before, and ]
knew the nearest ranch was twelve miles
up the river. Ii was now o'clock in the
afternoon. and we were within half a
mile of the stream and in a wild and
lonely district of the country. We had
with us in tin box in the wagon 0ger
$4,000 in gold, and the misfortune to our
horse naturally increased or anXieties.
Nv partner insisted that | should be the
one t. remain with the wagon, and he
had no sooner moved away than began
10 make things secure. The very first
move WAS TO take the tin box from
the wagon and bury il in the ground un-
der the vehicle, and after that ] saw that
every firearm was in good order, and
beat around the camp 10 drive away any
reptiles lurking about.
There was no use in expecting Patton,
my partner, back before 5 O'Clock or la
ter. He would doubtless find suitable
horse at the first ranch, but the ranch
man might be away, OF there We're doz-
en- other reasons to call for delay. We
carried provisions with Us, and at about
O'Clock | built fire and prepared my
supper. and was about 10 begin eating
when I caught sight of horse and rider
approaching camp from the northwest.
The ground was open for three or four
miles, and as had glass with me made
out, while the horse was vet mile and
a half away, that he bore a woman on
his back. Had she been squaw the
sight would not have occasioned surprise
but the first look proved that she was
white and that her horse was ia led and
coming slowly As held the glass on her
saw her turn and look back, as one pur-
sued. and long before she reached me
had become greatly interested in her
case. She rode straight for the wagon,
and when she finally came up her horse
was very much blown, and the woman's
face seemed to betray both hope and fear
by turns She was an average looking
female, about forty years old and as she
drew rein beside me we surveyed each
other for half minute before either
spoke During that interval caught an
expression on her face which did not
at all ike. II was a sly, sinister look,
but it passed swiftly away, and was re-
placed by one Of anxiety. ! was the first
10 speak, saying
+" Well. are YOU in troublegi
In great trouble, sin" she replied. Il
have be IN living with my brother on
small ranch fifteen miles distant Two
hours ago & dozen drunken Kickapoo In
dians visited the place, wounded my
brother, and set fire TO the house, and
would have killed me had not fed on
this horse. They pursued me for several
miles and IL"
Here she broke down and began to cry
and sob. What could do but 10 ask her
10 dismount, give her my promise of pro-
lection and say that when my partner re-
turned We would drive straight to the
ranch, and sacrifice our lives, if need be,
20 rescue her brother and teach the In
dians a lesson She did not come down
without considerable palaver seeming
very sensitive about getting me into trou-
bile, and when she did take seat on the
blankets prepared for her, she continued
To CRY and lament and would not touch
mouthful Of food
II had grown dark by the time had
eaten my supper, and il was now time to
look for Patton. sought as any man
would have done under the circumstan-
ces. TO cheer the woman up, and by and
by she gave over crying and seemed
bit more hopeful. She explained that she
had removed tothe Territory from Clarks-
willie, Ark three years before, being
widow with one son. The son had died
within the year, and the brother, who
was an old bachelor, and not in good
health, had come TO remain until the
place could be sold out. 4 Kickapoo
buck had taken a great fancy TO the wom-
an and wanted to marry her, and her in
dignant refusal had called down the raid
made that day. Her story filled me
with indignation, and as the night
came ON was terribly impatient for Pat